Submitted photo D&E Director of Student Recruitment and Success Angie Scott announces the launch of the search for the next class of Emerging Leaders Scholarship recipients for the 2027-2028 academic year.

ELKINS – Davis & Elkins has officially launched the search for the next class of Citizens Bank of West Virginia Emerging Leaders Scholarship recipients for the 2027-2028 academic year. Along with more than three quarters of a million dollars being awarded in scholarship funds, one grand prize winner will receive a four-year, full-ride scholarship to Davis & Elkins College, including tuition, room and board.

For a sixth consecutive year, Davis & Elkins College, Citizens Bank of West Virginia, and WDTV have partnered to offer this unique scholarship competition. All 2027 high school graduates, whether attending public, private, or homeschool, with a 3.00-or-higher GPA are eligible and encouraged to apply. Applicants are required to submit a list of engagements across high school and within their respective communities, along with an essay centered on the topic, “If you receive this scholarship, how will you pay it forward to the state of West Virginia?”

“We are thrilled to once again partner with Citizens Bank of West Virginia and WDTV for the Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program, now entering its sixth year,” Senior Director of Enrollment Management Angie Scott said. “This incredible program continues to create life-changing opportunities for high school students across West Virginia. Not only will one outstanding senior receive a full tuition, room, and board scholarship, but additional awards ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 will be granted. These scholarships are renewable for up to four years at Davis & Elkins College, providing meaningful, long-term support. An Emerging Leaders Scholarship is an investment in your potential, your ambition, and your dreams. Opportunities like this don’t just change academic paths, they transform lives. I strongly encourage all eligible West Virginia students to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.”

This scholarship is not limited to one grand prize winner. In each year that this competition has taken place, members of the selection committee have granted dozens of additional winners select yearly totals ranging from $5,000 to $15,000.

“Keeping the best and brightest leaders in West Virginia is what the Emerging Leaders Scholarship is all about,” D&E President Chris A. Wood said. “Davis & Elkins College is committed to training the next generation of community and state leaders from the ranks of graduating West Virginia high school seniors. The substantial scholarships being offered are an investment in young men and women who will thrive in the nurturing environment that is at the core of D&E, and they will pay back that investment with a lifetime of service and leadership.

The simple act of filling out a brief application could literally change the life of a prospective student. Citizens Bank of West Virginia and WDTV are stepping forward for another year as our partners in this worthy endeavor, and I thank them for their commitment to the youth of this state.”

Submissions for the Emerging Leaders Scholarship will be accepted between Friday, June 12, and Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. Applicants are required to submit an essay of between 500 and 1500 words based on the above topic, and scholarship finalists will be chosen by an independent Scholarship Selection committee. Top admitted candidates will be interviewed on Thursday, December 3 and Friday, December 4, and the grand prize scholarship winner will be announced Thursday, December 10, 2026. To apply for the Emerging Leaders Scholarship, visit dewv.edu/emergingleadersscholarship. Applicants must apply and be admitted to Davis & Elkins College to become eligible for an interview.